Praying for Mission

I want to begin tonight by looking at a familiar passage of Scripture as we get into what the Lord laid on my heart for this evening.

Matthew 9:35–38 NIV

35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

Tonight, we are praying for mission.

As you know, we place an emphasis on missions throughout the month of March.

On March 3rd, we received the largest one-time missions offering at HWC for Project rescue… an offering totaling $11,564.

On March 10th, pastor and missionary Kent Anderson shared with us the importance of going and sending.

Throughout the month, we are highlighting BGMC with a fun contest… but a serious mission.

Why are we doing this? Because the mission… matters. THE MISSION MATTERS. Tonight, we are going to pray for the mission.

And as we begin, I want you to see this update from AGWM regarding missions around the world.

PLAY VIDEO

First off… I am thankful for the more than 100 years that the AG has been involved in world missions. In fact, missions was one of the primary reasons our fellowship came into existence in the first place!

Secondly, I am thankful for the 2,640 missionaries that are serving around this world. They heard the call, and they answered the call!

Third, I am thankful for a ministry presence in 153 nations around this world!

Fourth, I am amazed that through our missionaries, over 400,000 churches have been planted!

Fifth, I am amazed that on average throughout the last decade, someone gives their heat to Jesus every 66 seconds!

Lastly, I am amazed that throughout the last decade, a new church is planted every 30 minutes!!!

Church… the harvest is truly plentiful!!! God is doing an amazing work around this globe!

But God also wants to do an amazing work right here in the heartland too. I am thankful for the 2,640 missionaries God has sent around this world… but understand He is sending us to minister around our communities. The mission of God… applies to every follower of God.

This month, we have been encouraged and challenged… to make a difference for the kingdom of God. We have been commissioned by Jesus to go and make disciples. This evening, that encouragement continues as we prepare to get in these altars.

But before we pray, I want to look at some details in the passage we read a moment ago. These details show us the continuation of the mission and the need for believers to go, send, and pray.

One, Jesus saw the NEED.

Matthew 9 makes clear that Jesus Himself saw the need of the people.

When Jesus came to this earth, He came to serve. He did not come to teach or preach from a distance… He came to heal and to minister to the lost.

Jesus saw first hand the need of this world. Look at verse 36 again.

Matthew 9:36 NIV

36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.

Listen church, our world today is in desperate need of Jesus… this world needs the good shepherd.

People today are harassed. Who or what is harassing them? The pressure to conform, the weight of modern culture. Trends of immorality and tolerance of sin. You name it… people are being pushed and assaulted by deception and distraction.

People today are helpless - they don’t know where to go for REAL answers. They don’t know what the truth is… only that the truth appears to be absent. The further our society has gone from the Word… the more locked in bondage it has become. Why? Because the Word is the ONLY truth that has the power to set souls free!

When Jesus saw the need… He didn’t pass on by… He had compassion on the people.

Where is the compassion of the church today? Where is the love of the people of God?

The need is all around us… yet we stay quiet and withhold the good news. Jesus didn’t withhold… He gave all that He had to give.

While ministering to others… He realized the lack of workers addressing the need. Which brings us to our second point...

Two, Jesus Called Out a PROBLEM

The lack of workers in the field… is a problem. It isn’t a time problem or a love problem… it is a SPIRITUAL problem.

Here’s the deal… if our hearts are truly aligned with the Word and will of God… then we will find ourselves in the field bringing in the harvest. No excuse will be good enough to keep us from the Lord’s work.

And… we will encourage other believers to follow the calling God has placed on their lives.

God is calling men to rise up and to spiritual leaders in their community.

God is calling women to rise up to be spiritual leaders in their community.

God is calling young people to rise up and to be spiritual leaders in their community.

Your social status, race, history, gender, etc… has no bearing on what God can do in you and through you. If you have given your life to the Lord and you are following Jesus with all your heart, soul, and mind, then God can use you to reach this world.

He promised, in Acts 2, to pour out His Spirit on ALL people. Bottom line is… it is not up to us to determine who God can and cannot use for His glory. We, the body of Christ, need to be encouraging fellows believers to answer the call of God He has placed on their lives.

No doubt, the harvest is plentiful! No doubt the needs are great and the issues are overwhelming. But God has given us everything we need to be successful in the mission!

First, He has given us His Son to make a way for the forgiveness of our sins.

Jesus did a work for this world that no one else could have done. God provided the much needed answer for our sins through Jesus.

There is nothing greater that we can offer this world than the hope that is found in Jesus! He gives us hope in ALL areas of life!

Secondly, He has given us His Spirit to empower our witness and testimony.

Acts 1:8 makes clear that the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is given to EMPOWER our witness. That power is not given to be hoarded… it is given to be shared.

The mission at hand is a God-sized mission and the Lord has provided a God-sized power to get it done.

We have the answer. We have the power. Do we have the obedience to get into the fields? How do we make a change regarding the lack of workers? Jesus gives us that answer.

Three, Jesus Said to PRAY.

Jesus told His disciples to ASK the Lord of the harvest to send workers… PRAY for workers. And that’s what we are going to do tonight.

We are going to pray in three specific areas.

One, we are going to pray for workers to GO to the field.

This means praying for… us to go. We cannot expect God to send someone else if we ourselves are unwilling to go.

How is your obedience in this area? Are you willing to go? Are you willing to talk to your community about Jesus? God may send you across the street… but He might also send you across the world!

The world is the harvest field… and God has given us this area to reach for His glory. This requires intentional, compassionate outreach. Will you go as the Lord leads you?

Secondly, we are going to pray for those the Lord has SENT to the field.

We are handing out a prayer page this evening that has all of our missionaries listed on it. We need to pray for every one of these men and women who are serving as pastors and missionaries around this world.

We also need to be obedient in our giving of financial support. Prayer opens new doors of opportunity for ministry… finances help keep our missionaries in the field.

Lastly, let’s pray for a GOOD HARVEST.

Let’s pray for open ears. Let’s pray for receptive hearts. Let’s pray for the declining church in America and believe for revival.

God is still on the move! I fear, however, that His people are not moving with Him. We need to get out of our comfort zones and trust the Lord in His leading. We need to believe for a harvest of souls… for families and communities… to come to know Jesus.

I truly believe that as we ask… the Lord of the harvest will send! Can we pray this evening and believe for chains to break, for hearts to be mended, and for souls to be set free?